Rotary engine.



No. 851,339. PATENTED APR. 23, 1907. R. & A. L. BAUER.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, 1906.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

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R. & A. L. BAUER.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED mums, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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, yn M y A u a E y No. 851,339. PATENTED APR. 23, 1907.

R. & A. L. BAUER.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED mmzs, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITFIEEEEEH' W M J 5 QC QM Ki 8 171 E UNITED PATENT OFFICE.

RAYMUN D BAUER AND ALBERT L. BAUER, OF WHEELIN G, WEST VIRGINIA.

- ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 23, 1907.

- Application filed March 23, 1906. Serial No. 307,576.

To all 107mm it may cmwern:

Be it known that we, RAYMUND BAUER and ALBERT I J. BAUER, citizens of the United States of America, and residents of Wheeling, county of Ohio, and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to new anduseful improvements in rotary engines, and more particularly to an engine of the rotary type in which a fluid, such as water or oil, is em- 7 ployed as the operating agent, the fluid being driven by steam or gas pressure; and it consists in the particular construction, arrangement and coml'ination of parts which will hereinafter be fully descrilied.

The object of the invention is to provide an engine in which a maximum amount of power and speed is obtained with a minimum amount of steam, and in which is had a steady and uniform action of the parts.

A further object is to provide an engine of the cl'iaracter mentioned in which oil, or other suitable fluid, is employed as the operating agent, said fluid lreing driven by steam or gas pressure in such manner that the circulation thereof is constant at a uniform pressure.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood.

In descrhzing the invention in detail, reference is herein had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention; Fig. 2 is an end view of the same; Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same; Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section on the line 4-4, Fig. 3; Fig. 5is a horizontal section throu h a reverse-valve chamber,

taken on the line 5-5, Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a a main horizontal drive-shaft 5 extends centrall y throughboth cylinders, said sh a ft being adapted to have suitable belt connections on one or both ends thereof for communicating motion to machinery to be driven by the engine. Mounted on said drive-shaft 5, and preferably integral therewith, are two separate rotating shaft-heads 6 and 7, the former working in the cylinder 1 and the latter working in the cylinder 2. The ends of said rotating shaft-heads abut close a ainst the cylinder-heads 3 to form practically fluid-tight joints, and peripheral piston-flanges 8 and 9 are respectively carried by said shaft-heads 6 and 7, each having a registering fluid-tight fit with the annular fluid-space surrounding the shaft-head; consequently, said pistonflanges are rotated in fluid-tight contact with the inner surfaces or sides of the cylinders 1 and 2 and with the adjacent sides of the cylinder-heads. v

(o-operating with the piston-flange in each cylinder are vertically reciprocating abutmentplatcs, or gates, 10 which are actuated to operate at predetermined intervals in a manner which will hereinafter be fully explained and for a purpose which will be made apparent. Said gates are each composed of two companion sections, mounted at their outer ends upon transverse rockshafts 11 and adapted for fitting close together at their inner ends when drawn up in line, or in a horizontal position, a tongue or tenon 12 being provided upon the inner end of one section, while a corresponding groove 13 is provided on the corresponding end of the other. Said gates are normally held in gate-recesses 14 provided in the bases 4 directly below the annular fluid-spaces surrounding the shaft-heads, and, when raised, are held in perfectly fluid-tight contact with the peripheries of theshaft-heads, forming impacts for the operating fluid admitted to the cylinders at one side of the said gates. The gate-sections are rigidly carried at their outer ends upon said shafts 11 and are operated thereby, and they normally stand in inclined positions in the gate-recesses 1 4, as illustrated at the right hand side of Fig. 3; and the inner ends of the gates are soformed that they will coincide when upraised, forming a fluid-tight joint.

The opposite gates 10 have an alternate reciprocation in order to clear the rotating piston-flanges 8 and 9, which are disposed directly opposite to each other whereby IIO one piston-flange at a time willbe receiving the impact of the driving fluid and thereby exerting an independent action to rotate the main drive-shaft 5.

The shafts 11 are journaled in the bases 4, and each has a crank-arm 15 on its outer end to which is loosely attached one end of a cylinder, is provided with a longitudinal vertical slot 21, receiving the drive-shaft 5, and above and below the shaft withupper and lower reversely-disposed bearing-shoulders 22 and 23, respectively, which are respectively engaged by cams 24 and 25, mounted fast on the shaft 5 at opposite sides of the adjusting-bar. The cam 24 is arranged at the inner side of the adjusting-bar and works under and against the upper bearing-shoulder 22 thereof to provide for elevating the adj usting-bar and the consequent turning of the rock-arm or crank 17 and the shaft 18, and the cam is arranged at the outer side of the adjusting-bar and Works over and against the lower bearing-shoulder 23 to provide for the positive retraction or depressing of the adjusting-bar to secure the downward adjustment or turning of the crank, or rockarm, 17 and, through the intermediate mechanism, the upraising of the'gates 10 against the periphery of the shaft-head.

The corresponding cams 24 and 25 at the outer ends of the opposite cylinders are reversely or oppositely disposed with respect to each other in order that the opposite adjusting-bars 20-may have an. alternate reciprocation. The cams 24 provide for lowering the gates 10 as the piston flanges approach said gates in order to allow the said piston-flanges to readily pass over said gates, after which the cams 25 draw the bars 20 downward and throw the gates up against the sh aft-heads.

Entering each cylinder on.opposite sides of the base 4 are ports 26 which respectively provide for the admission of the operating fluid to the interior of the cylinder and for the exhaust thereof from the cylinder. Said ports 26 in each cylinder communicate through pipes 27 withlthe opposite compartments 28 and 29 of a reverse-valve chamber 30 which is provided at a suitable point, it being shown in the present instance below the floor'line, or beneath the base 4. Entering said reverse-valve chamber 30 in a compartment 31 is a fluid-feed pipe '32, and a fluid-exhaust pipe 33 communicates with an opposite compartment 34 in said reverseand 34 above mentioned and the middle of which is again divided by a cross-partition 37 into the two compartments 28 and 29 above referred to. The partitions 35 and 36 are each composed of double walls, between which in each partition a longitudinal blade- 38 is eccentrically mounted upon a transverse rockshaft 39, suitably ournaled in the outer walls of the chamber, and at this point it will be observed that the shaft 39 extends through both of the reverse-valve chambers 30 in order that a movement of said shaft will operate the blades 38 of the two chambers simultaneously and to the same. extent. Provided in the partition 35 are two ports 40 and 41, the former providing communication between the compartments 31 and 28, and the latter providing communication between the compartments 31 and 29. In the partition 36 are two ports 42 and 43, the former providing communication between the compartments 34 and 28, and the latter providing communication between the compartments 34 and 29. It will be noted that the longitudinal blades 38 are so mounted on said shaft 39 that when the latter is moved forward and backward the ports in each partition are alternately opened and closed by the blade-valves 44, and that when one of the ports communicating with either the chamber 28 or 29 is closed, the other port thereof is open admitting of free communication therethrough. To illustrate, when the shaft 5 is rotating in a forward direction, the blade 38 in the partition 35 stands in a position closing the port 40 and admitting of free communication through the port 41; and, at the same time, the blade 38 in the partition 36 stands in a position closing the port 43 and admitting of free communication through the port 42. When the shaft 5 is turning in a reverse direction, the arrangement of the blades with reference or respect to the ports is the reverse of that just described. Y

Mounted upon a suitable supporting stand, as 45, is a steam-chest 46 having a horizontal slide-valve 47 working over ports 48 and 49 therein. One of said ports, 48, is connected by pipe 50 with the upper end of the fluid-feed pipe 32 at one end of the engine, said feed pipe having a piston 51 working therein, the stem 52 of which projects outward through the upper end of the pipe 32, as shown. The opposite port 49 of the steamchest is connected by-pipe 53 with the opposite feed pipe 32, which carries working parts similar to the parts just described in respect to the other feed pipe. Said feed pipes are of a comparatively large gage, and the -chamber therein above the piston serves as an expansive chamber for the steam admitted thereto from the steam-chest; or, if gas is employed instead of steam in operating the engine, said chamber serves as the explosive chamber therefor.

The slide-valve 47 is provided with a valve-stem 54 which works through one end of the steam-chest and has its end connected with the valve-controlling mechanism, which consists, in part, of a rock-shaft 55 mounted in bearing-brackets 56 and having a rockarm 57 on the end thereof. 'Said rock-arm 57 has pivotally attached to its outer extremity one end of. an eccentric-rod 58, the

other end of which ro'd connects with an eccentric-strap 59, encircling a shaft-eccentric 60, keyed on one end of the main drive-shaft, and providing means, through .the medium of the connections 57 and 58, for communicating an oscillatory or rocking motion to the rock-shaft 55.

The reverse-valve chambers 30 are connected by a pipe 33which enters the said valve chambers in the compartments 34 thereof, and connected with said pipe 33 is a stand-pipe 61 which is provided to receive a portion of the exhaust operating-fluid and which serves as a reserve-chamber.

The cylinders are filled with fluid, such as water or oil, preferably a light oil, said fluid filling not only the cylinders, but also the revers'evalve chambers and stands in the feedpipes 32 below the pistons 51 and, when one of the pistons is depressed to the end of its stroke, the fluid stands in the opposite feedpipe on a level with the under side of its'piston, as illustrated in Fig. 4'.

Referring particularly to Figs." 3 and 4, steam admitted from the'steam-chest to one of the feed-pipes 32 above the piston 51 thereof expands and forces said piston downward in said pipe. This action drives the fluid through the compartment 31 of the reverse-valve chamber on that side, through the then open port 41, the com artment 2,9 and the pi e 27 to the interior 0 the cylinder 1 behind t e piston flange 8, and at this point it will be noted that the gates are at this time in fluid-tight engagement with the periphery of the shaft-head 6, serving toprevent a rearward or reverse flow of the fluid. Acting upon the piston-flange 8, the pressure of the fluid rotates the shaft 5 forward, as indicated by arrow in Fig. 4. At the same time the fluid whichis in said cylinder in front of the piston-flange is exhausted through the opposite pipe 27 into the compartment 28 of the reverse-valve chamber, whence it passes through port 42, compartment 34 and pipe 33 to the corresponding compartment 34 of the opposite reverse-valve chamber and at the same time to the stand-pipe 61, where it serves as a reserve to act and be acted upon by the exhaust from the opposite cylinder to raise the piston to its normal position.

The operating fluid is admitted through one of the pair of pipes 27 at one side of the gates 10 in each cylinder and exhausted through the pipe 27 at the opposite side of the downward stroke, the opposite piston isactuated to move downward in its feed-pipe,

and, through the exhaust fluid and the reserve in the stand-pipe, to force the one piston upward to its original position, the utilized steam therein returning and being exhausted through the exhaust-port 62 in thesteamchest.

It will be noted that the cams 24 and 25 are so arranged that the gates 10 operating in the opposite cylinders are, through the inter-.

.mediate mechanism, both held closeclthat is, in close contact with the peripheries of the shaft-headsfor-a smallfraction of a revolution of the shaft, and during the period in which said gates are both held closed the exhaust fluid rises in the stand pipe 61, which serves, as before stated, as a reserve chamber.

The reversing-blades 38 normally stand in a position closing the ports 40 and 43, and leaving ports 41 and 42 open in each reversevalve chamber 30. To reverse the shaft 5,

the shaft 39 is turned by means of a lever 63 to cause the. blade-valves 44 to close ports 41 and 42 and to open ports 40 and 43 in each reverse-valve chamber.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a rotary engine, the combination of two longitudinally-alined cylinders, a centrally-disposed horizontal drive-shaft in said cylinders carrying rotating shaft-heads, one in each cylinder, and provided with. peripheral piston-flanges, vertical] -reciprocating gates mounted below each cy 'nder to alternately engage the peripheries of the shaftheads, each of said gates consisting of two companion sections mounted fast upon rockshaf,ts at their outer ends and adapted when upraised to coincide to form a fluid-ti ht joint, means for operating said rock-sha ts, a feed pipe for each cylinder, a piston in each feed pipe, and means whereby steam is alternately admitted to and exhausted from said feed-pipes,'said cylinders and the feed ipes in frontgof said pistons being filled wit 1 an operating liquid.

2. In a rotary engine, two longitudinallyalined cylinders, a horizontal drive-shaft extended centrally through said cylinders, a rotating head provided with a peripheral piston-flange carried by said shaft in each cylinder, a reciprocating gate mounted to be forced into and out of engagement with said shaft-head, said gate comprising two com panion sections mounted to coincide to form a fluid-tight joint when in close contact with the shaft-head, rock-shafts on which said gate-sections are rigidly mounted, crankarms carried by said rock-shafts, a reciproeating adjusting-bar arranged on the driveshaft, means intermediate said adjusting-bar and said crank-arms whereby the former actuates the latter at predetermined points in,

, mounted to contact with said shaft-head,

said gate being composed of two companion sections which coincide toform a fluid-tight joint when in contact with the shaft-head, means connected with said gate-sections for Working the latter against and away from said shaft-head, separate supply and exhaust ports for each cylinder, a liquid-feed pipe for each cylinder, a piston "working in said pipe against said liquid, a steam-chest having alternate communication with said feed-pipes behind the pistons, a valve in said steamchest carrying a stem which projects out of the steam-chest, a rock-shaft having an eccentric connection with the drive-shaft, mem bers connecting said valve-stem and said rock-shaft whereby a rocking motion imparted to said rock-shaft by the eccentric connections oscillates said members, reverse-valve chambers through which the operating liquid passes in feeding to and exhausting from the cylinders, and means within said chambers whereby said liquid may be controlled to reverse the direction of the stroke.

4. In an engine, the combination of two longitudinally-alined cylinders, separate sets of supply and exhaust ports for each cylin der, a steam-chest, a valve working in said steam-chest and having a stem projecting out of said chest, a suitably-supported rockshaft having an eccentric connection wlth the drive-shaft of the engine, members connecting said rock-shaft with said valve-stem,

a rotating head provided with a peri heral piston-flange working within each cy inder, a reciprocating gate mounted to move to and away from the shaft-head, the opposite gates having an alternate reciprocation for clearing the rotating piston-flanges, said piston-flanges being disposed opposite to each other whereby one at a time receives the impact of the operating fluid and thereby exerts an inde endent action to rotate the drive-shaft, a eed-pipe for each cylinder, a piston in each feed-pipe, connections between the steam-chest and feed-pipes for the alternate admission and exhaust of steam to and from said feed-pipes, said cylinders and the feed-pipes in front of said pistons being filled. with operating liquid, and reverse -valve chambers having a plurality of compartments therein through which said hquid passes in feeding to and exhausting from said cylinders, and valves for controlling the passage of the liquid through'said chambers.

5. In a rotary engine, the combination of longitudinally-alined cylinders having suitably-arranged ports, a drive-shaft carrying a rotating head within each cylinder, each head provided with a peripheral pistonfiange, a reciprocating gate mounted to work against and away from said shaft-head, a rock-shaft on which said gate is mounted, a crank-arm carried by said shaft, an adjusting-bar carried by the drive-shaft at the outer end of each cylinder, a pair of cams mounted on said shaft and engaging said adjusting bar to reciprocate the same, means intermediate said adjusting-bars and the crank-arn1s whereby the reciprocation of the former provides for the reciprocation of the gates, a liquid-feed pipe for each cyhnder, a

piston working in said feed-pipe, said feedpipe being filled with the operating liquid in front of said piston to a point above the level of the cylinder, steam or gasconnections for alternately operating the pistons against the liquid, connecting means for the, cylinders whereby the operating liquid alternately exhausts from one side to the other, a stand pipe, and reverse mechanism, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

RAYMUND BAUER. ALBERT L. BAUER. 

